The invention relates to a device for influencing the attention of the driver, wherein the vehicle comprises a display unit for displaying information content, the vehicle includes a central operating panel associated with the display unit, and the vehicle has a means for detecting a danger in road traffic and a means for issuing a warning regarding a detected danger.
Modern vehicles increasingly comprise numerous display and operating options. Information content is displayed via a central display unit, which is frequently located essentially at the center of the instrument panel and may slightly face the driver. This content may be technical information, navigation instructions or entertainment content.
Functions that the vehicle makes available to the user can be selected by way of a central operating panel, which is frequently placed essentially in the center console and potentially in the vicinity of the gearshift lever. An operating input at the central operating panel can be made by turning or pushing an operating switch or by touching an interface, such as a touch pad. An operating input can be visually tracked on the display unit by a change of the display of the output system which is associated with the operating input.
The operation of the operating panel is designed to be intuitive and easy-to-understand in modern vehicles so as not to compromise the attention of the driver and so as not to distract the driver from traffic. Moreover, driver assistance systems may focus the driver's eyes on traffic, in particular in the case of imminent danger. For this purpose, the driver assistance system ascertains a danger in traffic and issues a warning in a suitable manner in the event of an imminent dangerous traffic situation. This may be done visually, acoustically and/or haptically.
A warning is particularly useful when the driver's degree of attention can be optimized in time before the occurrence of a dangerous situation when the driver faces imminent danger and when the operating panel is being operated, involving a potential diversion of the driver's eyes to the display unit.
A warning system is described in DE 10 2008 056 343 A1, which cognitively considers operating actions that command the driver's attention.
It is an object of the invention to provide an alternative vehicle comprising a device for influencing the attention of the driver.
This and other objects are achieved by a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, having a device for influencing the attention of the driver. The vehicle includes a display unit for displaying information content; a central operating panel associated with the display unit; a system for detecting a danger in traffic; and a system for issuing a warning regarding a detected danger. According to the invention, a computing unit is provided, which ascertains the probability of a driver looking in the direction of the display unit during an operating sequence and at a viewing point in time, and which takes the interaction of the driver with the vehicle into account for ascertaining the viewing probability. Moreover, the warning is issued as a function of the ascertained viewing probability.
An operating sequence involves a (chronological) succession of operating inputs on the central operating panel. The viewing probability shall be understood to mean the probability that the driver's eyes are directed at the display unit in a targeted manner. The advantage of the invention is that a look by the driver at the display unit can be ascertained with a certain degree of accuracy, without using a camera system that detects the driver and has downstream image processing and complex image detection methods.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computing unit carries out a pattern detection algorithm for ascertaining the viewing probability and, in carrying out the pattern detection algorithm, takes a value of at least one input parameter into consideration, issues a value of the viewing probability as an output parameter, and transmits the viewing probability value to the system for issuing a warning. The viewing probability value indicates the probability with which the driver's eyes are directed at the display unit at the viewing point in time.
If a high viewing probability value is transmitted to the system for issuing a warning, which hereafter is referred to as a warning system, and the vehicle at this point in time, which is to say the viewing point in time, detects or has already detected an imminent danger in road traffic (such as a slow preceding vehicle), the warning system can issue an acoustic, visual and/or haptic warning.
A probability table, which correlates a value of the input parameter with a viewing probability value, is preferably stored in the computing unit for the at least one input parameter. This probability table of the at least one input parameter is taken into consideration by the computing unit when carrying out the pattern detection algorithm.
A probability table may be stored in the computing unit, which can be designed as a control unit. The correlation between a value of the input parameter and a viewing probability value can be ascertained during development of the vehicle. For this purpose, for example, experiments can be carried out with test subjects using driving simulators in which the line of sight of the test subject can be continuously detected. The quality of the correlation is dependent in particular on the number of test subjects.
According to a further variant, the vehicle includes a measuring device for measuring the accelerator pedal position, such as that of a gas pedal. According to this variant, the measuring device transmits the measured position of the pedal as a function of time to the computing unit. The computing unit further calculates a pedal gradient, which describes the change of the pedal position over time, and takes the pedal gradient into consideration as an input parameter when carrying out the pattern detection algorithm.
In particular, the accelerator pedal gradient can be a particularly suitable input parameter for the pattern detection algorithm, wherein the particular suitability of the parameter is defined by a strong correlation with the line of sight of the driver. For example, a high pedal gradient at the viewing point in time indicates a high degree of interaction by the driver with the pedal system of the vehicle. In this case, the probability is high that the driver's eyes are not directed at the display unit.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle includes a measuring device for measuring the brake pedal position. The measuring device transmits the measured position of the brake pedal as a function of time to the computing unit, the computing unit calculates a brake pedal gradient, which describes the change of the brake pedal position over time, and the computing unit takes the brake pedal gradient into consideration as an input parameter when carrying out the pattern detection algorithm.
In particular, the brake pedal gradient can be a particularly suitable input parameter for the pattern detection algorithm, wherein the particular suitability of the parameter is defined by a strong correlation with the line of sight of the driver. For example, a high brake pedal gradient at the viewing point in time indicates a high degree of interaction by the driver with the pedal system of the vehicle. In this case, the probability is high that the driver's eyes are focused on road traffic and are not directed at the display unit.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle includes a measuring device for measuring the steering angle, wherein the measuring device transmits the measured steering angle as a function of the time to the computing unit. Based on the steering angle-time curve, the computing unit calculates a steering angle number, which describes the number of steering angle inflection points in a predefined time period. Moreover, the computing unit takes the steering angle number into consideration as an input parameter when carrying out the pattern detection algorithm.
In particular, the steering angle number can be a suitable input parameter for the pattern detection algorithm, wherein the particular suitability of the parameter is defined by a strong correlation with the line of sight of the driver. For example, a high steering angle number at the viewing point in time indicates high steering activity by the driver. In this case, the probability is high that the driver's eyes are not directed at the display unit.
It may also be advantageous for the operating panel to include a rotation input mechanism if the operating panel measures a rotation pause duration, which describes the time period between the most recent rotary operating input and the viewing point in time, and for the operating panel to transmit the rotation pause duration to the computing unit. When carrying out the pattern detection algorithm, the computing unit takes the rotation pause duration into consideration as an input parameter.
The rotation pause duration can be a particularly suitable input parameter for the pattern detection algorithm, wherein the suitability of the parameter is defined by a strong correlation with the line of sight of the driver. For example, a short rotation pause duration at the viewing point in time, which is equivalent to a high frequency of operating inputs, allows the conclusion that the viewing point in time is within an operating sequence and that the probability is high that the driver's eyes are directed at the display unit.
According to a further variant of the present invention, the operating panel includes a push input mechanism, wherein the operating panel measures a push pause duration, which describes the time period between the most recent push operating input and the viewing point in time. The operating panel transmits the push pause duration to the computing unit. When carrying out the pattern detection algorithm, the computing unit takes the push pause duration into consideration as an input parameter.
The rotation pause duration can be a particularly suitable input parameter for the pattern detection algorithm, wherein the suitability of the parameter is defined by a strong correlation with the line of sight of the driver. A short push pause duration at the viewing point in time indicates that the viewing point in time is within an operating sequence and that the probability is high that the driver's eyes are directed at the display unit.
It may additionally be advantageous for the operating panel to include a touch input mechanism and for the operating panel to measure a touch pause duration. This describes the time period between the most recent touch operating input and the viewing point in time. The operating panel transmits the touch pause duration to the computing unit, and the computing unit takes the touch pause duration into consideration as an input parameter when carrying out the pattern detection algorithm.
In particular, the touch pause duration can be a suitable input parameter for the pattern detection algorithm, wherein the suitability of the parameter is defined by a strong correlation with the line of sight of the driver. A short touch pause duration at the viewing point in time, for example, indicates that the viewing point in time is within an operating sequence. In this case, the probability is high that the driver's eyes are directed at the display unit.
The invention is based on the following considerations. A vehicle can include a central display unit and a central operating element. Information can be provided to the driver via the central display unit. The vehicle additionally makes various functions such as navigation or entertainment available to a user, which functions can be operated by way of the central operating panel as the input system. Individual operating inputs can be visually tracked on the display unit by a change of the display of the output system which is associated with the operating input.
An operating input on the central operating panel can be made by turning or pushing an operating switch or by touching operating switch elements. If the operation is made by the driver of the vehicle, the operation may at least partially demand the driver's attention. The operation of the central operating panel is referred to as a secondary task, and the activities that are required by the driver for driving the vehicle, such as steering movements, shifting processes and pedal operation are referred as primary tasks.
As part of a warning strategy, existing driver assistance systems take dangers from the immediate surroundings of the vehicle, such as pedestrians or slow preceding vehicles, into consideration. The viewing angle of the driver is not included in this consideration. In particular, it is not detected whether the driver has his eyes focused on the road or on the dangerous situation at the time that the vehicle detected an imminent dangerous situation.
In terms of the type of warning signal (visual signal, acoustic signal, haptic signal), the intensity (volume, brightness, frequency) and the warning period, which is to say at what time interval does the warning occur in relation to the time that the vehicle enters the danger zone, a warning signal that is directed to the driver is made independent of the driver's viewing angle so as to assist the driver with focusing the driver's maximum attention on the primary task.
It is therefore proposed to estimate the direction of the driver's eyes in relation to the display unit based on operating inputs on the central operating panel and based on the interactivity of the driver with the vehicle. In the case of an estimation that results in a high probability that the eyes are directed at the display unit, properties of the warning signal are adjusted accordingly. The estimation does not require a camera system that is integrated into the vehicle and is based on a pattern detection algorithm.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.